In Konoha Year 59, Menma and Naruto were eleven years old. The following year would be their final year at the Ninja Academy.
Three years had passed since the last upheaval—a conflict between the five great nations. Though it had lasted less than two days, it had still been named the Fourth Shinobi World War.
In those three years, there had been no further news of Uchiha Madara, as though none of it had ever happened.
Gradually, many people forgot about it. But Hiruzen Sarutobi still remembered the threat that was Uchiha Madara. From the Nine-Tails incident to the turmoil in the shinobi world four years ago and the shinobi war three years ago, Madara had either done it himself or stirred it up from behind the scenes. Hiruzen did not dare let down his guard.
That day, the students were all preparing for graduation with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, looking forward to the shinobi lives that awaited them.
Amid this atmosphere of hope and vitality, a new change quietly arrived. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves that day, casting mottled shadows across the Ninja Academy's corridors.
At that moment, Iruka entered the classroom with a little girl. The noisy classroom immediately fell silent, and every student's attention was drawn to the unfamiliar girl.
"Everyone, we have a new student joining us today," Iruka said with a smile.
The little girl standing before the podium straightened her back. She was Uchiha Xingli. She had long black hair and wore a light-blue short skirt.
"My name is Uchiha Xingli. I'm from the Uchiha Clan, and I'm nine years old. I hope we can become friends," she said in a clear, steady voice.
The students below began whispering among themselves. Xingli looked much younger than the rest of them.